TNF and atrial fibrillation: Numerous recent studies have identified a strong association between AF andinflammation, as evidenced by significant correlations between this arrhythmiaand various inflammatory biomarkers, including C-reactive protein (CRP), tumornecrosis factor (TNF), and interleukins, interleukin (IL)-1, IL-2, IL-6, and IL-8 [45, 46].This linkage has led researchers to search for factors that initiateinflammation, with chronic bacterial infection emerging as a likely candidate totrigger and sustain the inflammatory process.